With its bodywork designed and built by Pininfarina, the 330 GT 2+2 Series I differed greatly from the preceding 250 GTE and the interim 330 America, as it was fitted with an unusual four-headlamp nose. The second-generation 330 GT 2+2, later dubbed the Series II, was introduced halfway through the 1965 model year. Its most noticeable change over the first generation was the replacement of the car’s quad headlights with a more-subtle dual-headlight treatment, while a proper 5-speed gearbox replaced the previous model’s 4-speed with overdrive.
Completed on May 9, 1966, chassis 8487 left Maranello finished in Grigio Fumo over Nero Franzi leather trim. One of just 424 left-hand-drive Series II examples constructed, the car was factory equipped with Borrani wire wheels, power windows, and instruments in kilometers. Mere weeks after its completion, the car was sold to its first owner, Giancarlo Alessi of Trieste, Italy, on the northern shores of the Adriatic Sea. As documented in a history report from Marcel Massini, chassis 8487 would remain in Italy well into the 1970s before being exported to the United States by Milan-based dealer Dino Armando Genghini.
After arriving in North America, the car would pass through several caretakers before undergoing a full, bare-metal restoration in 2007. Numerous photographs document the painstaking rehabilitation process, which included a complete disassembly of the body to ensure laser-straight panels before applying a fresh coat of factory-correct Grigio Fumo paint. Beige leather was chosen for the interior, and the car’s matching-numbers 4.0-liter V12 engine was completely rebuilt.
Sporting an exhilarating blend of Italian style, luxury and power, the 330 GT 2+2 stands as a more practical alternative to the heady race-bred Ferraris of its time, offering similar driving drama and exhilaration in a package ideal for daily jaunts in town or long trips on the open road. This impressive example, with its understatedly handsome color combination and matching-numbers engine and gearbox, is an excellent candidate for both touring or showing.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II |
| Years Produced: | 1965–67 (Series II) |
| Number Produced: | 474 (Series II) |
| SCM Valuation: | $260,000–$400,000 |
| Tune Up Cost: | $3,500-plus |
| Chassis Number Location: | Stamped in frame by steering box |
| Engine Number Location: | Right rear above motor mount |
| Club Info: | Ferrari Club of America |
| Website: | http://www.ferrariclubofamerica.org |
| Alternatives: | 1964 Maserati Sebring, 1968 BMW 2800 CS, 1966 Shelby GT350 |
This car, Lot 117, sold for $346,000, including buyer’s premium, at RM Sotheby’s Phoenix, AZ, auction, on January 25, 2024.
Many Ferrari owners started their journey with a 330 GT 2+2. When new, their sales dwarfed any 2-passenger model produced up to that time and even edged out the 250 GTE 2+2 for the best-selling Ferrari thus far. The 330 GT 2+2 was large enough to be used as an everyday family car, yet sporty enough to win the hearts of enthusiasts. As the model evolved, it was refined with features such as power steering and air conditioning, making it a reasonable alternative to most 2+2 coupes.
Four seats, two series
The 330 GT 2+2 was built in two different series, with an interim model featuring second-series mechanical updates in a first-series body. Pininfarina designed the 1964 330 GT 2+2 with a four-headlight configuration stylized with seven-inch outer and five-inch inner headlights that dominated the front of the car. The controversial design was adopted from an American trend that was also seen on the Lancia Flaminia convertible and the Maserati Sebring.
Following the tradition of naming a model after the displacement of a single cylinder (in cubic centimeters), the 330 GT 2+2 was powered by a 4-liter evolution of the Colombo V12 architecture. This 300-horsepower engine represented a 60-hp bump from the previous 250 GTE, enough to give the 330 a 152-mph top speed, nearly 10 mph more than its predecessor. The early cars featured a block with four motor mounts, while the later cars had just two.
Late Series I 330s received updates that would define the Series II models. Pedals hung from under the dash replaced floor-mounted ones. The 4-speed-plus-overdrive transmission was replaced by a 5-speed unit. Several other items were updated, including the dashboard and trunk lid. This updated car is known as an interim model.
In mid-1965, after 625 units of the Series I 330 GT 2+2, Ferrari introduced an updated car. The Series II 330 GT 2+2 featured refined styling with a single headlight on each side, more-attractive front fender vents, and cast alloy wheels replacing the Series I’s wire-spoke versions. The alloy wheels were a response to recognized improvements in power and grip that were testing the strength of the wire wheels (though these were still an option).
The Series II received a major front-end update, all the updates of the interim model, plus at least 20 other items such as standard electric windows, relocated fuel-filler lid, and new door panels. Power steering and air conditioning were now offered as options. Updates would keep coming as the production run continued.
A chronological list of updates, owners’ registry, and an extraordinary collection of 330 information can be found at Kerry Chesbro’s exceptional 330 GT website, www.330GT.com.
Rust to riches
Few four-place Ferraris hold their value well and the 330 GT 2+2 is no exception. Despite having a higher list price than its contemporary standard-production Ferraris, the 330 2+2 depreciated much faster and ultimately became the entry-level 12-cylinder Ferrari. Often the value drop was the result of regular use, deferred maintenance and heavy flogging. By the 1970s, it cost more to rebuild a 330 engine than the car was worth. Worn examples were scrapped for parts or became donors to make replicas of more-desirable models.
Our subject, 330 GT 2+2 chassis 8487, was almost lost to salvage. Chesbro’s registry described the car as a basket case, after having been completely disassembled in the ’70s by an incompetent mechanic who lost many of the parts. It would take the next 25-plus years to reassemble and restore the car, and even then, it is reported there were still a few needs.
As presented here, the car looked beautiful. The paint and interior was perfect, and the engine compartment showed the work of a talented restorer. The car appears to have a complete tool roll and a complete owner’s pouch. Although it is a late Series II, it doesn’t have the rare power-steering and A/C options.
The high-water mark for 330 GT 2+2s was a 2016 sale at $737k. Today they tend to sell for around $300k. Knowing its former condition, I am skeptical that this car is as complete as it looks, but assuming it is, it is a rare find. Few owners would invest the time and money to restore a 330 GT 2+2 to this level. It appears most of the work was done by an owner putting little value on their time. In the current market the buyer paid a fair number for what looks to be an excellent car. Hopefully, only good surprises pop up. ♦
